Old Catholic Order of Holy Wisdom: OHW is not a part of the Church of Holy Sophia in Practice.

Rule of Holy Wisdom (proposed)

The Call of Holy Wisdom

In the first chapter of the Proverbs, it is written, “Wisdom cries out in the street; in the squares she raises her voice. At the busiest corner she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: ‘How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? …Give heed to my reproof; I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make my words known to you.”

We who covenant to follow after wisdom recognize our simplicity, and desire to be made wise. Therefore we heed her call in our lives, seeking after her both privately and corporately, seeking to grow in wisdom ourselves and making wisdom available to others.

Holy Wisdom is the personification of the saving knowledge of God. According to the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, she was a divine emanation, an aspect of divinity who toiled beside God in the creation of the world: “When he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world, and delighting in the human race” (Prov. 8).

It is through the person of Holy Wisdom that Israel received the Torah: “Love of her is the keeping of her laws, and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality, and immortality brings one near to God; so the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom” (Prov.6).

Philo of Alexandria (20 BCE–40 CE), was a Jewish theologian who tried to make Jewish thought understandable to Greek culture, and equated the person of Holy Wisdom in Jewish theology with the principle of the logos in Greek thought. This idea excited early Christian theologians, who understood the coming of Jesus Christ as the incarnation of Lady Wisdom, and spoke of it in terms comprehensible to the prevailing Greek culture:

“In the beginning was the logos, and the logos was with God and the logos was God” (John 1).

Therefore, like those in the early church, we worship Holy Wisdom as the enlightening and illuminating face of Divinity, who teaches us a way to live that is pleasing to God, who visited us in the form of Jesus, teaching us even more plainly how to live into wholeness and harmony with both Creator and Creation, and who continues to call us, even in the midst of our busy lives, to continual conversion of life and greater awareness and compassion for all beings.

The Call to Just Speech

We recognize that language is a powerful tool with the ability to either harm or heal, and we seek to use it wisely so as to foster compassion and understanding both within the Order and in the world we serve. This requires a nuanced vocabulary, drawn from our Catholic tradition, but revisioned according to the call of Wisdom as discerned in our midst.

Therefore the Order of Holy Wisdom seeks to honor gender neutrality and equality in our liturgy and official documents, modeling the wisdom we have received that honors both the feminine and masculine qualities of Divinity and the equality of genders in religious life.

Likewise, we do not take vows, but covenant together to be faithful to our common call and goals. As covenanted religious we live and work in the world, therefore we are not monks, but friars. Due to our commitment to gender equality, covenanted women may choose to identify themselves as either friars or nuns, as seems most appropriate for them. Collectively, we refer to ourselves simply as “religious.”

We understand the terms “celibacy,” “chastity,” and “virginity” not in sexual terms but as referring to power. Order members in leadership in religious communities are likewise celibate in those positions, eschewing all forms of power-over in their ministries. Order members are chaste in not exercising power over one another, honoring the equal power of all members. We honor the virginity of all creatures as referring to the right of all beings to own their own power, not handing it over to another, and certainly not being required by any order member to do so.

Since the processes for joining the order and for entering ordained ministry are different, we use different vocabulary to distinguish the roles of those who help guide them through these processes. An order member who guides another through the Oblation process is referred to as a “sponsor,” while someone who guides someone through the ordination process is referred to as a “mentor.”

Since discerning the propriety of a candidate’s vocation for membership is a sensitive process, we avoid the appearance of judgment by referring to the “discernment of vocation” and “discerning readiness” for ordination.

The Call to Equality

In journeying together in the Order of Holy Wisdom, we seek to maintain fidelity to the apostolic faith, interpreting the creeds and tenets of historic Christianity in a way that is respectful of the past and faithful to the contemporary world in which we live. We seek to create and maintain for ourselves a community in which we may be both authentically Catholic (in the succession of the historic See of Utrecht) and flexible and responsive to the culture in which we live and minister. As Old Catholics, we honor the unbroken apostolic succession, the threefold ordained ministry of deacons, priests, and bishops, worship centered around the real presence of the divine in the Eucharist, and the committed life of religious orders.

As Catholic Christians, we seek to live into the promise of the true meaning of being “catholic,” a word which means “inclusive” and “universal.” We honor the dignity and equality of all peoples, regardless of race, belief, gender, and sexual orientation. We also honor the goodness of all creation and the dignity and rights of all creatures. We welcome all creatures to Wisdom’s Feast, giving her bread to the wise and the foolish alike.

We likewise recognize the equality of all those associated with the order, whether non- ordained religious, deacons, priests, or bishops. Neither gender nor sexual orientation will be a bar to membership or ordination or leadership at any level.

As part of our call to equality, all members have equal power, and none may impose their will upon the community. Everyone has the right to be heard, and all decisions are made by consensus when we succeed in truly hearing one another, and by democratic majority when true hearing proves difficult or impossible. All covenanted members will have one vote. All novices and the Abbot have voice, but no vote, and all members will give their opinions serious and due consideration.

There may arise situations when, out of ignorance or zeal, a member may try to enforce his or her will upon the community. When this happens it is the responsibility of all members to guard the virginity of the community and to gently and lovingly remind one another to be chaste in regards to their own power.

The Call to Commitment

The religious life is one of commitment to God, to the often difficult process of personal spiritual growth, and to the world. In making our covenant to become members of the Order, we commit to all of these, and whatever else the Spirit of Holy Wisdom may call us to do.

Commitment to the religious life in the OHS requires an Oblation period of six months, at the end of which a person may make his or her covenant. This allows sufficient time to get to know the Order, and for the order to get to know Oblates, and for both Oblate and order to discern whether there is a good “fit.”

Once a person discerns a call to a vocation in the order, they may make application to the Novice Master and present themselves to a planning meeting as an Oblate. He or she may then select a sponsor to support and guide him or her through the process. At the end of six months the Order will do a group discernment, at which there will be an open session where Order members may share both affirmations and concerns regarding the Oblate.

This is followed by a closed session absent the Oblate where the following decisions may be made: yes, the person may be admitted to the Order; no, the person may not be admitted to the Order; due to certain concerns that will be voiced; or the person may be invited to another six-month period of Oblation.

At any time during the Oblation period a sponsor may ask permission of the community to step down if he or she thinks there may be a bad match between him- or herself and the Oblate.

During the Oblation period, the Oblate must see a spiritual director at least once per month. Only someone who has completed a spiritual direction certificate program may serve an Oblate in this way.

Anyone may apply for Oblation, and if a true vocation is discerned, may covenant with the Order, whether Catholic or Protestant, or someone who follows another spiritual path who nevertheless feels called to a Catholic spiritual practice. Those who are part of other Catholic jurisdictions are welcome, but will owe their allegiance to their original bishop, unless at some future time they choose to incardinate with a Bishop in the Order, as one can only have one bishop.

The Call to Covenant

The OHS covenant is the document that seals our commitment to God, to our brothers and sisters in the order, to service to the world, and to ourselves. The OHS elects to covenant rather than to take vows, because while vows can be broken, a covenant is a more flexible agreement. A covenant remains in force even when one party stumbles in his or her commitment. Faithfulness is measured by our best efforts in the place we happen to be, allowing for growth and change as a person’s spiritual life develops. While a contract or a vow is broken when a person fails to live up to their promise, as partners in a covenant we carry each other through difficult times, remaining in relationship as covenanted siblings in faith.

The covenant reads:

I covenant with you, my brothers and sisters, to seek after wisdom all my days, for it is in searching after her that we find God; and in searching after God that we find her.

It is through her counsel that we build communities of compassion and find refuge for our souls.

I will esteem her instruction more than silver and her knowledge more than gold (Prov. 8:10) nor will I trust in riches, but will find my treasure in her. (Prov. 2:1, 4)

I promise to proclaim her wherever she may find me: in the countryside, the villages, and the busy tumult of the city.

To heed God is to be the mouthpiece of Wisdom, to preach righteousness, justice, and love for all creatures. (Prov. 2:8)

Therefore I vow humility in all my affairs, forsaking arrogance, neglect (Prov. 8:13) the unchaste use of people and creation, and the exercise of power over others.

I promise to invite all peoples to Wisdom’s banquet, to offer her bread to the outcast and insider alike, to give her wine to both the foolish and the wise, (Prov. 9:5) that all creation may taste of her goodness; for the knowledge of her is sweeter than honey, (Sir. 24:20) all her ways are sacred, and her paths all lead to peace. (Prov. 3:17)

And I vow that I will not labor for myself alone, but for all who truly seek Wisdom. (Sir. 24:30-34.

The Call to Discipline

As covenanted members, we commit to a life of spiritual discipline focused on our own spiritual growth, service to our Order, and ministry to the world around us.

First, we focus on our personal spiritual lives. On a monthly basis we commit to seeing a spiritual director in order to give due attention to our spiritual formation. On a weekly basis we commit to participate in corporate worship with a faith community. On a daily basis we commit to keeping at least one of the liturgical hours, and to some form of meditation or contemplation.

Second, we focus on the spiritual community as found in the OHS. We agree to serve our brothers and sisters when called upon to serve as an officer of the Order. All terms are for one year, and may be re-elected in perpetuity, with the exception of the Abbot or Abbess, who may only serve two consecutive terms, after which five years must transpire before he or she may serve again. Officers and their duties include:

1. Prior. Serves as spokesperson for the Order and moderates all meetings. Office may be held by any order of ministry, lay, deacon, priest, or bishop. The Prior reminds members of upcoming meetings and events, and may be called upon, along with bishops in the order, to exercise a pastoral function within the Order and to mediate disputes.

2. Secretary. Records the minutes of all meetings, and disseminates them to Order members following meetings, as well as having copies available at subsequent meetings. Keeps files of all notes and documents pertinent to the Order, as well as serving as Order historian during his or her tenure.

3. Treasurer. Handles financial affairs of the Order, responsible for all bank/checking accounts, and for making financial statements available at Order meetings.

4. Novice Master. Serves as support person for oblates, keeping track of oblation process, applications, presentation for reception, including all files and paperwork necessary to the process. Novice Master also handles paperwork pertinent to the ordination process.

5. Committees. There are also various committees called upon to serve the order, some permanent and some situational. One such permanent committee is the Vocations Committee, members of which also serve a one year term according to the same rules as other officers.

Third, Order members commit themselves to a life of service to those in the wider world. Members must engage in service at least monthly in one or more of the following ways: Teaching, preaching, healing, visiting the sick or elderly, corporal works of mercy, activism on behalf of the earth, people or other creatures, random acts of kindness, spiritual guidance, pastoral counseling, spiritual direction, or some other form of holy listening, chaplaincy, prison visitation, spiritual scholarship, holding of sacred space for others, conflict mediation, facilitating discernment, sacred clowning, or any other activity to which the Divine may call us in order to advance Holy Wisdom in the world around us.

The Call to Holy Orders

Many of us have discerned a call to an increased level of responsibility and commitment in our ministries, and have sought Holy Orders in order to be faithful to this call. Not all religious are called to Orders, but many are, and the Order of Holy Wisdom has discerned a process by which a candidate may respond to that call.

In the OHS the role of deacon is a role of service, meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of people in many contexts. Many ministries are strictly diaconal ministries, and the permanent diaconate has a long and respected history.

Some, however, are called to be priests, which contains the diaconate (priests remain deacons all their lives, but add to it another level of ordination) to which is added the responsibility to teach. A person must serve as a transitional deacon for six months before advancing to priesthood.

In time the community may discern a level of trust in the wisdom of an individual such that they call them to be a bishop. A bishop is always both a deacon and a priest, with the continuing responsibility to serve and teach, but to which a further responsibility is added, that of offering counsel. Bishops have no administrative function in the OHW, nor any power over any other member. Instead, the role of a bishop is to provide pastoral care, to be, literally, “the pastor to the pastors.” Their leadership is not exercised by the imposition of power, but by the gentle voice of trusted experience and hard-earned wisdom. A person must serve as a priest for at least five years before election to the episcopacy.

Holy Orders in the OHW are not seen as a ladder of hierarchy, but instead as increasing levels of personal commitment. Since none hold any “rank” in the OHW, no members have more power than any others—a lay religious has exactly the same amount of power as a bishop, since each get one vote. With increased commitment comes increased responsibility. Holy Orders are not to be taken lightly, but are holy commitments made to God and the OHW community that cannot be revoked.

An order member who discerns a call to ordination may make application to theVocations Committee, declaring his or her call and expressing a desire to enter the process. The Vocations Committee will interview the candidate and recommend to a meeting of the whole order for or against candidacy. The Order will then vote on the elevation of the person to candidacy. The candidate may then submit the name of his or her preferred mentor for the order’s approval. When the mentor is satisfied that the candidate is ready for ordination, he or she will notify the Vocations Committee. The Vocations Committee will interview the candidate and recommend to the whole meeting three options: for ordination; against ordination; or for ordination pending specified further study.

The Call to Educational Formation

Candidates for ordination must demonstrate competency in the following areas, according to order of ministry and the responsibilities pertinent to each order.

Candidates may pursue studies in a variety of ways. If a formal class is taken at a seminary, a passing grade in that class will suffice to satisfy the requirement. If a person is doing private study, he or she will work with his or her mentor, who will oversee the study, and must also complete an integration project (a substantive paper, work of art, or service project) which itself demonstrates mastery of the subject. If a question of a project’s propriety or sufficiency arises, the question may be put to the Vocations Committee to decide, either in a meeting or by email consensus.

Candidates for the Diaconate must demonstrate competency in Old Testament studies, New Testament studies, Homiletics, Ethics, Theology and performance of the following Sacraments: Baptism, Marriage, Ordination, Unction.

Candidates for the Priesthood must demonstrate competency in Church History, Old Catholic/Independent Catholic History, Pastoral Care or Clinical Pastoral Education, Theology: Christology, Soteriology, Theodicy, Eschatology, Theology and performance of the following Sacraments: Eucharist,Confession,Confirmation, and Liturgic

The Call to Sacramental Life

Catholic Christianity is a sacramental tradition, and different orders of ministry have the responsibility and privilege to perform various sacraments. The seven sacraments honored by the Catholic tradition are: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Marriage, Ordination, Confession, Unction (Anointing of the Sick).

Non-ordained religious may baptize in emergencies and anoint for healing. Deacons may baptize in liturgical context, perform weddings and holy unions, and anoint for healing.

Priests may baptize, marry, hear confession, anoint for healing and perform the Eucharist.

Bishops may perform all the functions of a priest, to which is added the ability to Confirm and Ordain.

The Call to Community

The OHW encourages its members to be involved in spiritual community, and is itself a spiritual community. We commit to meeting regularly for corporate worship and discernment. We also commit to an annual retreat where we may fellowship, continue to discern our charism, grow in our affections and personal commitments to one another, and study theology and scripture. Retreats are open to all covenanted member and Oblates.

The Call to Reformation

As a post-modern entity, the OHW is committed to both fidelity to the past and to the ongoing reformation and revisioning of tradition as we discern the guidance of Holy Wisdom in our personal and corporate lives. Therefore we agree that any matter of concern to any covenanted member may be brought before an order meeting at any time for discernment and possible amendment. Oblates may voice concerns, but it will be up to the discernment of covenanted members whether to proceed with a discernment.

Amendments to the covenant are limited to the annual retreat as part of our ongoing discernment of charism and call. No matter is beyond review, and the OHW remains committed to corporate discernment of all matters of concern to all members.

WISDOM’S FEAST

PRESENTATION OF GIFTS

Sophia, in kinship with you is immortality,

and in friendship with you, pure delight.

In the labors of your hands is unfailing wealth,

and in the experience

of your company, understanding.

With this bread, we enter into friendship with you,

life-giving Sophia.

What we have learned, we pass on without reserve.

We do not intend to hide your riches.

For you are an inexhaustible treasure.

Those who know you

enjoy the friendship of God.

With this cup,

we pass on your riches.

These are the riches of Wisdom.

Come from the East and the West,

and from the North and the South,

and gather about the table of God.

SURSUM CORDA

Wisdom is here

her Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts:

we lift them to God.

Let us give thanks to God:

It is right to give thanks and praise..

It is a good and right and joyful thing

in all ways and everywhere

to give thanks to you, O God.

Therefore we join in the chorus of praise

that rings throughout eternity,

with angels and archangels,

prophets and martyrs,

creatures of earth, sea and sky,

and all the holy women and men

of every culture and age.

Together with rocks, hills, waters, mountains,

liturgy for

suns, moons and stars,

we magnify you as we say/sing:

SANCTUS

All Holy, holy, holy, God of love and wisdom

All creation speaks of your glory,

O God-With-Us

Blessed are we who come

in the name of our God!

Hosanna, hosanna from our hearts!

THANKING THE CREATOR

You were in the beginning, O Wisdom.

You were with God and you were God.

You laid down the foundations of the earth,

you were by God’s side, the finest artisan,

delighting God day after day,

ever at play in God’s presence,

at play everywhere in the world,

delighting to be with the children of earth.

REMEMBERING SOPHIA

You were with us in Jesus of Nazareth,

in him you became flesh

and pitched your tent among us.

From your earliest days,

your wisdom was evident.

As a child, you sought wisdom

from the temple elders

yet amazed them with your own insight.

As an adult, you lived out that wisdom

by befriending and welcoming all to table.

In the Upper Room, sharing the passover with your friends

You took bread and blessed the creator,

You broke the bread and gave it to them saying:

Take this all of you and eat it.

This is my body,

given up for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.

You lifted the cup and gave it to them saying:

Take this all of you and drink of it.

This is the cup of the new and everlasting convenant

poured out for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins.

Do this in remembrance of me.

We remember you now,

and we remember how all your life

you exemplified the abundant pleasures of wisdom

through beauty, delight,

playfulness, and friendship with God.

Sophia, you gave us so much

through your life on earth and through your Spirit

and yet we continually

hunger and thirst for more of you.

INVITING THE SPIRIT

Hold hands up to consecrate the gifts.

In every generation you pass into holy souls

and make them prophets and friends of God.

In this meal, reveal yourself

to those who love and seek you.

In the sharing of bread,

give us friendship

with one another and with God.

In the sharing of wine,

grant us insight and understanding.

Continue, loving Sophia,

to walk about, looking for us,

and graciously show yourself,

in every thought of ours coming to meet us,

as we pray:

WISDOM’S PRAYER

ALL: O Most Holy Creator, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, even as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever.

Amen.

COMMUNION

Beloved, Wisdom has set her table.

and she has poured her wine.

She says, “Come, eat of my bread

and drink of the wine I have mixed.

Lay aside immaturity, and live,

and walk in the way of insight.”

Beloved, these are the riches of Sophia.

Come, you who desire wisdom,

and eat your fill of her fruits.

One by one, communicants approach the table and avail themselves of Wisdom’s gifts.

The bread is distributed saying: “When we eat of wisdom, we hunger for more.”

The cup is distributed saying: “When we drink of wisdom, we thirst for more.”

POST-COMMUNION PRAYER

Sophia, we come to you with all our soul,

that we might renew our friendship with you.

As we search out and seek you,

continue to make yourself known to us;

and when we find you, do not let us go.

For at last we will find the rest you give,

and you will be changed into joy for us. Amen.

*CHANT

choice of congregation

BENEDICTION

May we call upon Sophia

and find her in all our thoughts.

May her radiance enfold us

and her laughter embolden us.

May she lead us in the paths of peace,

today and forevermore. Amen.

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*please link to the OHW page to understand more about their Rule.

Copyright 2012 Sophia in Practice. All rights reserved. Logo designed by Brian Francisco Wong. Photos by Cathy Cade. Models are actual clients who volunteered to be in the photos.